1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a steering system for vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to a steering system for vehicles of a type in which the rear wheels as well as the front wheels are arranged to be steerable by the steering operation of a steering wheel.
2. Description of Relevant Art
There has previously been proposed a steering system for a vehicle in which the rear wheels as well as the front wheels are steerable by the steering operation of a steering wheel. Such steering system is arranged such that for relatively small steering angles of the steering wheel, which are generally experienced while vehicles are travelling at relatively high speeds, the rear wheels are steered in the same direction as the front wheels, and for relatively large steering angles during travel at relatively low speeds the rear wheels are steered in the opposite direction relative to the front wheels or the steered angle thereof is returned at least to a substantially zero degree. The driving characteristics of the vehicle during relatively high speed travel are thereby improved and, moreover, the turning operation of the steering wheel during relatively low speed travel is rendered at least as effective as that of conventional vehicles in which only the front wheels are steerable.
The present invention provides a steering system affording the aforesaid front and rear wheel steering by means of a novel arrangement.